Hypocrites

Now that the fireworks season is behind us, I can look back over the 15 day selling season and enjoy most of it. Our youth group does a fund raiser each year, and we sell fireworks from June 22 - July 5. It's a great FR that only requires two weeks and provides enough money that we don't have to do any other FRs, including but not limited to: Selling candy, selling gift wrap, selling cookie dough, selling worthless sheets of coupons, selling travel vouchers, selling pre-paid coffee cards, selling cheap jewelry, cheap perfume and or having to do a "free" car wash.

It really is a great couple of weeks and this season was no exception. The students worked hard and we had a great time spending many hours together.

One of the downsides of this FR is that I haven't had the joy of spending the 4th of July with my family over the past five years. So instead, I always buy a little bag of goodies and somewhere between the 5th and the 7th, we light off our goodies. Naturally, my 5 year old boy loves the loud ones. In fact, the louder the better with him. He wants it to scream, shoot flames of death into the air, smoke like crazy and then move somewhere across the cul-de-sac. And of course, it better be booming or screaming as it moves.

Next to him, my 3 year old daughter is repulsed and somewhat terrified of anything loud. In fact on the 4th (or 5th or 6th...) her typical firework watching position involves being inside a building safe from the terrifying screams of Killer Bees and piccolo Pete's. She likes the sparks (though sparklers fizzle too much for her to actually hold one!), but the crackles, pops, booms, whistles and snaps just freak her out.

Here's the interesting part: My daughter is, without question, the loudest person in the house. I could easily make a case that she's the loudest person in the county, state and quite likely, louder than anyone this side of the Mississippi! Her voice reaches decibel levels that locomotives can't achieve and that's when she's using her "indoor" voice. Cut her loose outdoors and the neighbors start calling. Problem is, she loves to use her voice. She talks non stop from the moment she gets up to the moment she goes to bed and when she's not talking to anyone in particular, she just keeps practicing for the next coversation.

She sings, too. And don't worry, you won't be able to recognize the toon or the song because the words and music are created on the spot. She's a walking, singing impromptu concert vocalist. And when she finishes she always ends on a loud sustained note followed by these words: "Clap mommy, clap daddy." Trust me, it's just best to clap.

It's funny how my daughter hates loud things, but of course, loves to be loud. In a very real sense, my daughter is hypocritical about her 4th of July behavior. I mean, how can she say she hates loud things on the one hand, and then on the other, be the loudest thing around?!?! Honestly, isn't that a bit contradictory?

As a minister I have people tell me all the time, "I hate church because of all the hypocrites." My response is little cutting but I think it makes the point well, when I say: "You're right, there are a lot of hyporcrites and that's why you and I are welcome!" It takes a minute for that to set in but then they usually relax a little and we begin having a meaningful conversation about the nature of people. And the truth is: There is always some aspect of life in which any of us can find ourselves hypocrites. It's true. But universality doesn't make the problem ok, it just means that when you stay away from something (in this case, church) because of the hypocrites, you are in fact, being hypocritical! After all, if it's hypocrites you're trying to avoid, then you better leave the office (MAJOR hypocrites there!), the tee ball support club (HELLO?!?!?!) and the highways (because you never want to drive behind anyone with a Fish sticker on their bumper!) Yikes!

You're a blessed person if you've ever held a conversation with my daughter or have heard her sing. Even though she's a hypocrite about loud noises, she's a darn cute kid and brings sunshine into almost any room she enters. In fact, I don't think you'd even notice her obnoxious hypocrisy after spending just a few precious moments with her. I think the same thing can be said about church and the people there. Spend just a few minutes in a good church and rub shoulders with redeemed hypocrites and you might find out it's not as bad as you thought. After all, there's plenty of time to avoid hypocrites on those days between the sermons; don't worry about making Sunday another one of those days.